Dog inducted into Hall of Fame for saving neighbor’s life
Published: May 31, 2006
Dogs are man’s best friends. And for a Gallatin man, his neighbor’s dog, Scrappy, is definitely not only his best friend, but also his lifesaver.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 23, 2002, Ron Woods went out to get the newspaper and fell on the ice and couldn’t get up. As he lay in the yard he was instantly covered with ice with the temperature at 10 to 12 degrees. Woods was able to pull himself onto his porch, but could not reach the door bell because of the severe pain pf a broken hip. As he prayed to God for help, his neighbor’s dog, Scrappy, came over to him and tried to lick his face. Woods asked Scrappy to “go out back and bark” hoping to awake his wife, Lorna.
“Without hesitation, Scrappy walked down the steps and went around to the back of the house. Within two minutes, Scrappy was barking, and his barking successfully woke Lorna up.”
As Lorna got up and got herself a cup of coffee she realized Ron had been gone a long time to get the paper and began looking for him. She opened the front door and there Ron lied.
“My prayers ‘Lord, wake Lorna up’ had been answered, possibly saving my life,” Woods said.
Lorna called 911 and Woods was taken to the hospital suffering from a fractured hip. On Christmas Eve, Woods underwent successful surgery.
Woods said he did not know the seriousness of his situation or how close to death he really way. He said in a followup visit to his surgeon, Dr. Lance Weaver, told him he was the luckiest man alive.
“During the 55 minutes that I was outside, my body temperature had dropped to 93.5 degrees. He told me that if my temperature had dropped another 1 to 2 degrees I would have died right there on my front porch.”
For his action, Scrappy, a three-year-old mixed breed owned by the Bill McRee family of Gallatin, was named the 2006 Hero recently by the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame for having preserved a life.
Dena McRee received a letter in February informing her Scrappy has been chosen as a 2006 inductee into the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame in the “Hero” category. Scrappy was nominated by the man he rescued and Dr. Doug Crabtree
“I am here today because of him,” Ron Woods said.
He is convinced Scrappy was put there for the very purpose of saving his life. He said there were circumstances that lead him and Scrappy to that moment in time.
The McRee’s adopted Scrappy after he was abandoned as a puppy, rescuing him from possibly being put to sleep. Scrappy was outside that morning because the McRee’s were going off for the day and they let him out at that time because they were getting ready to leave.
“All this had to happen for him to be in that position,” Woods said, convinced it was through God’s divine intervention. “I have been able to give that testimony in churches and civic clubs. It is amazing, every day I relive it, and it is just such an experience.”
Scrappy actually has two homes now, his own and the Woods home. “He is an outside dog and he spends quite a bit of time at our home. “He eats at home and at our house and he has been known to take a nap while there. When he is ready to leave he lets us know,” Woods said.
Woods said Scrappy is such a part of their lives, that the other day his wife took him to work and Scrappy and the Woods’ dog, Sport, both had to ride in the car.
Woods said Scrappy is one of the smartest dogs he has ever known.
“He was walking with me one day and had a chewy bone in his mouth. Along the way he went to the other side of the road and put his bone down, and continued walking with me. On the way back, he went back to the very spot he had left his bone and retrieved it.”
Woods said Scrappy knows their cars, and when he sees either family coming home he take off and meets them.
“Clearly, Scrappy is a very special dog, and we are privileged to extend him membership in the hall,” said Monika Ridley, membership service, in a letter to the McRee’s about Scrappy’s selection.
“The goodwill, loyalty and bravery of these animals have earned them induction into the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame. By honoring their accomplishments, the Tennessee Human/Animal Bond Foundation (TAHBF) hopes to heighten public awareness of the unique benefits of the human-animal relationship. THABF supports programs such as the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame and educational programs highlighting the importance of animals and veterinary medicine,” said Dee Ann Walker, with the Foundation.
Scrappy’s veterinarian, Dr. Bo Crabtree with Critter Clinic in Gallatin, said he nominated Scrappy after reading Ron Woods’ story in The News Examiner right after the rescue happened.
“Scrappy is a happy, go-lucky dog, and I am so proud of what he did I just had to nominate him for this honor,” Crabtree said.
Owner Dena McRee said she is so proud of Scrappy.
“This has been such a wonderful thing that has happened to our family and the Woods, who live across the road. You know dogs have a second sense. He knew something had to be done, and he did it.
“I didn’t realize this had happened until after Ron was home. It is such a sweet story and the Woods are such sweet people. Scrappy is a neat little dog, he sits in the front yard and knows the different vehicles that come down the road,” she said.
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